Xref: kermit rec.gardens:270303

wrote:
On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 22:30:39 GMT, "Warren"
wrote:
Yes. There is a lot of waste out there. But the things we're talking
about aren't because the retailers are uncaring people who want to
waste
the resources of the world. The things we're talking about happen
because there are too many dishonest people in the world looking for
ways to screw the retailers -- especially the big retailers.
Some good points made in this thread, but a few other points go a bit
far in defending the big retailers. I don't think the retailers "want
to waste the resources of the world," but I do think they don't give
such things as value, morality or ethics a moments thought. They'd
toss their toxic wastes into the nearest creek if they thought they'd
get away with it.


Well, the retail divisions of the large oil companies were the first
ones to replace their underground tanks to comply with new laws last
decade. It was the ma and pa independent gas stations that didn't
upgrade, and continued to pollute until the day they had to close
because they didn't comply.

A small retailer has only a few people to guide what's right and wrong.
If those few people don't give a rat's butt, the store will do what it
pleases whether it's moral, ethical, or anything that resembles good. A
large retailer has far more eyes watching, and more people who'll blow a
whistle. You may find a couple of stores in a chain with a rogue manager
who'll get away with things that normally only a small, privately held
ma and pa store can do, but eventually they'll be discovered.

Small retail operations and large retail operations each have their own
problems. Both kinds of operations have good and bad people. The larger
the operation, the more the good and the bad balance out to mediocrity.
The smaller the operation, the more extremely good or bad it'll be.
Contrary to what's politically correct to say today, the small
businessman is not always some virtuous member of the community, and
some large companies actually do care about the communities their
customers come from.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
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